Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) A group of Delhi residents dressed in white shirts and t-shirts took a four-hour drive around the city to drum up campaign against corruption and support the Jan Lokpal Bill.

The drive was organised by India Against Corruption (IAC), a citizens movement created by people who do not wish to remain a mute spectator of the corrupt practices prevailing in India, an IAC member said.

“Around 50 people joined us on their bikes and cars. We started from Qutab Minar at 10 a.m. and rode through almost all parts of the city before ending the procession at India Gate at 2 p.m.,” Gaurav Bakshi told IANS.

The drive aimed at building pressure on the government to initiate action for formulating the Jan Lokpal Bill and to support social activist Anna Hazare’s fast unto death over the issue beginning April 5, he added.

The Lokpal Bill, 2010, which awaits a select parliamentary committee’s nod, provides for filing complaints of corruption against the prime minister, ministers and MPs with the ombudsman. It requires investigations into any corruption case be completed within a year and the trial to get over in the following year.

“The prime minister in a meeting last week told us that the government’s version of the bill may be tabled in May but that is not acceptable to us as they have diluted the bill making it useless. We want the bill in its original form,” said Bakshi.

In no mood to budge, the IAC which has eminent personalities like Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Baba Ramdev among others associated with it, is planning similar events in the coming days to spread awareness and gather maximum support for the bill.

“We have organised many rallied earlier but this was our first on wheels and there is plenty more to come if the government does not meet our demands. We know the government is jittery about Anna Hazare’s fast unto death and we are going to increase the pressure,” added Bakshi.